CONTROLLING AND PRESENTING VIRTUAL WAGERING GAME ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20130244767A1
• Filed: 05/08/2013
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Barclay, Brian J., Guinn, Andrew C., Louie, Daniel P., Schwartz, Richard T.
• Application Number:
  US13/890,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20130244767A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include providing a virtual wagering game machine for presentation in a virtual wagering game environment and determining an indication, associated with a user account, to purchase one or more rights to control one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine. The operations can further include detecting payment of a purchase value from the user account, and granting the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine to the user account in response to detecting the payment of the purchase value.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing, via at least one of one or more processors, a virtual wagering game machine for presentation in a virtual wagering game environment;

determining, via at least one of the one or more processors, an indication, associated with a user account, to purchase one or more rights to control one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine;

detecting, via at least one of the one or more processors, payment of a purchase value from the user account; and

granting, via at least one of the one or more processors, the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine to the user account in response to detecting the payment of the purchase value.

2. The method claim 1, wherein the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine comprises one or more of one or more rights to control access to the virtual wagering game machine and one or more rights to customize the virtual wagering game machine.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more rights to control access to the virtual wagering game machine comprises one or more of a right to prevent players from using the virtual wagering game machine, a right to lock the virtual wagering game machine, a right to share the one or more rights to control the access to the virtual wagering game machine, a right to control a waiting list for the virtual wagering game machine, and a right to change an order of a player in a waiting list for the virtual wagering game machine.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more rights to customize the virtual wagering game machine comprise one or more of a right to change an appearance of the virtual wagering game machine, a right to mark the virtual wagering game machine with a custom symbol, and a right to control sponsorship of the virtual wagering game machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the purchase value is one or more of virtual currency, credits, points, and money.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a status level of the user account; and

setting the purchase value based on the status level.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

setting an expiration period for the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine, wherein after the expiration period the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine expire.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

prior to providing the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine, detecting an accomplishment for a wagering game provided via the virtual wagering game machine, and

providing an option to purchase the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine in response to detecting the accomplishment for the wagering game.

9. One or more machine-readable storage devices having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a set of one or more processors causes the set of one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

providing a virtual wagering game machine for presentation in a virtual wagering game environment;

determining an indication, associated with a user account, to purchase one or more rights to control one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine;

detecting payment of a purchase value from the user account; and

providing the user account with the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine in response to detecting the payment of the purchase value.

10. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 9, wherein the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine comprises one or more of one or more rights to control access to the virtual wagering game machine and one or more rights to customize the virtual wagering game machine.

11. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 9, wherein the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine comprises one or more of a right to prevent players from using the virtual wagering game machine, a right to lock the virtual wagering game machine, a right to share the one or more rights to control the access to the virtual wagering game machine, a right to control a waiting list for the virtual wagering game machine, a right to change an order of a player in a waiting list for the virtual wagering game machine, a right to change an appearance of the virtual wagering game machine, a right to mark the virtual wagering game machine with a custom symbol, and a right to control sponsorship of the virtual wagering game machine.

12. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 9, wherein the purchase value is one or more of virtual currency, credits, points, and money.

13. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 9, said operations further comprising:

determining a status level of the user account; and

setting the purchase value based on the status level.

14. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 9, said operations further comprising:

setting an expiration period for the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine, wherein after the expiration period the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine expire.

15. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 9, said operations further comprising:

prior to providing the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine, detecting an accomplishment for a wagering game provided via the virtual wagering game machine, and

providing an option to purchase the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine in response to the detecting the accomplishment for the wagering game.

16. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more machine-readable storage devices configured to store instructions which, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations to

provide a virtual wagering game machine for presentation in a virtual wagering game environment,

determine an indication, associated with a user account, to purchase one or more rights to control one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine,

detect payment of a purchase value, wherein the payment is associated with the user account, and

provide the user account with the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine comprises one or more of one or more rights to control access to the virtual wagering game machine and one or more rights to customize the virtual wagering game machine.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine comprises one or more of a right to prevent players from using the virtual wagering game machine, a right to lock the virtual wagering game machine, a right to share the one or more rights to control the access to the virtual wagering game machine, a right to control a waiting list for the virtual wagering game machine, a right to change an order of a player in a waiting list for the virtual wagering game machine, a right to change an appearance of the virtual wagering game machine, a right to mark the virtual wagering game machine with a custom symbol, and a right to control sponsorship of the virtual wagering game machine.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the purchase value is one or more of virtual currency, credits, points, and money.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more machine-readable storage devices are configured to store additional instructions which, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations to:

determine a status level of the user account; and

set the purchase value based on the status level.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more machine-readable storage devices are configured to store additional instructions which, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations to:

set an expiration period for the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine, wherein after the expiration period the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine expire.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more machine-readable storage devices are configured to store additional instructions which, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations to:

prior to providing the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine, detect an accomplishment for a wagering game provided via the virtual wagering game machine, and

provide an option to purchase the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine in response to the detecting the accomplishment for the wagering game.

23. An apparatus comprising:

means for providing a virtual wagering game machine for presentation in a virtual wagering game environment;

means for determining an indication, associated with a user account, to purchase one or more rights to control one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine;

means for detecting payment of a purchase value from the user account; and

means for granting the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine to the user account in response to detecting the payment of the purchase value.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine comprises one or more of one or more rights to control access to the virtual wagering game machine and one or more rights to customize the virtual wagering game machine.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising:

means for determining a status level of the user account; and

means for setting the purchase value based on the status level.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising:

means for prior to providing the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine, detecting an accomplishment for a wagering game provided via the virtual wagering game machine, and

means for providing an option to purchase the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine in response to detecting the accomplishment for the wagering game.